Goal keeper Erin Grimsley is mauled by teammates after she stopped a shot in a NCCAA shootout win

Thom Jones is familiar with youth movements. The fourth-year women's
soccer coach at Campbellsville University started seven freshmen most of
last season and guided his Lady Tigers to a 12-8-2 season that ended
with a 1-0 loss to Covenant College in the NCCAA Mid-East Region final.

But Jones isn't resting on any laurels for that season, even though his
team tied a school record for most wins.

"I have a good group of recruits coming in this year," Jones said
recently. "We'll have a lot more depth, something we haven't been
blessed with in the past."

Jones figures he'll be about 19 players deep and will be able to spell his starters with equally talented reserves. He lost two seniors to graduation and only three players will be seniors in 2010.

"It will be interesting to see who starts," said Jones, "because we have a really talented group of incoming freshmen. But that's going to be a good problem to have because we'll always have fresh legs to spell the starters."

The 2010 recruiting class includes two goalkeepers, three on defense, three forwards and four midfielders. Two recruits come out of Tennessee, one each from Ohio and Oregon and the remainder from Kentucky.

Jones said he will also field a junior varsity team this season so that some of his young players can get playing time. The team reports Friday, Aug. 13 and opens at Centre on the road on August 24.